Why do a lot of people think there is going to be a draft...?

Question

Every time I come into the Military section of Y!A at least one person is ranting about instituting a draft. For the life of me--I cannot understand why someone would think this.

The US Government is currently downsizing the military by 40%. In the Air Force there is a "Blue to Green" program to promote the men who get discharged from the Air Force to join the Army. We have more recruits then ever for all branches and this is nothing like Vietnam--where people simply were not enlisting.

I just cannot for the life of me understand why someone would think we're going to start a draft. Any opinions or answers would be greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

Because they don't know jack-squat about the military. I am prior service and anyone else who is can tell you about inactive reserve. All prior service military are placed on this. I myself am on inactive reserve until August of next year. All prior service military would be called back into service before the draft was implemented.

Answer 2

The draft, some argue, would spread the obligation to everyone to serve their country rather than put it all on those who have volunteered. Draftees would come from all sectors of the country, rich and poor, city and country, all political parties, all races. The number of personnel currently serving is down nearly 40 percent from the number that were serving when President Reagan left office, and that lower number has contributed to the fact that many are serving 2, 3, 4 or more deployments to Iraq because there are not enough people.
On the other hand, draftees are sometimes those who do not want to be there, may be unqualified for what is required, and can contribute to lower morale and lower performance. Further, the systems in use in all branches require months and months of training to achieve a satisfactory level of competence, and draftees would unlikely contribute much to any unit for a long time. Those of us who have served (I just retired after 22 years) would just as soon not see a draft.

Answer 3

it was brought up most recently by Charles Rangel, democratic congressman from NY. His thinking is that if rich people's kids could be at risk for fighting in these ridiculous, illegal, immoral wars for profit, then rich people's representatives in congress would be less likely to vote for those wars.

I think that's totally fallacious. Rangel's no idiot, so the real reason may be to motivate people to speak out against the mass murder and resource theft and destruction that, alas, the u.s. military is being used for.

My precious precious father supported the draft, which made me say - HEY - because of my sons. However, dad felt, having been in or working with the U.S. Navy from 1957 - 2005, that the current crop of military folk contains a huge proportion of lousy enlistees - low education, low option, easily manipulated non-thinkers.Dad said the military was simply better during the age of the draft, because the pool of people to choose from was better.

He also felt that a draft is good for national unity. he wanted mandatory national service, ala germany and many other places.

Now, if you listen to all the people saying our military is tapped out and they cannot raise more troops for Iraq even if the will was there, if you read that we are encouraging foreigners to join our military, with citizenship quickly as an incentive, if you read that we've increased the age of who can join and lowered the scores of who can join, you might also think Yes, there is a need for a draft. Heck, even the blue to green program shows the military needs to get folks into the army.

All that said, we're not getting a draft. Americans, tho too many still get all pumped up and excited by war talk, are becoming more and more disdainful of using our money and blood to further the interests of the upper class, while hurting the interests of the whole world. They'd never tolerate a vote for a draft.

Answer 4

Cause some people have no idea that #1 the President is against the Draft #2 even if he was for it he does not have Dictatorial powers to install one.

#3 a Draft can be restored if a majority of both the Senate and the House of Representatives passes a bill to restore the draft.

Such an idea is very unpopular among many Republicans and Democrats.

The last time the idea went before the House all Republicans present and all but 2 Democrats present voted No.

A Draft is not getting restored anytime soon.

Answer 5

People get the idea that there is going to be a draft because of the reports in the media that our troops are stretched too thin, soldiers are on their 4th or 5th deployments and a liberal senator keeps introducing a bill to reinstate the draft.

I have seem some posts that say they are getting rid of they are getting rid of service members for any little reason. This, I alos know is not true, as I have seen members that violate UCMJ, but rather than being separated from service, they are being sent to Iraq or Afghanistan.

Answer 6

If you want to get technical the Draft never left it is still in effect. from Vietnam. When the Armed Forces became a voluntary service it virtually eliminated the need for the draft. No one will be drafted for this war on terror because enlistments are high enough to meet the current goals. However if the U.S. decides to get involved in a major conflict or war elsewhere in the world i wouldn't be surprised to see it.

Answer 7

Because we are overstretched in Iraq. And the clowns in power are thinking of moving on Iran. We don't have enough troops to do all of this. Frankly, we need to get out of Iraq *yesterday.* Over 700,000 Iraqis have been killed in our illegal occupation, and we have destroyed their country and countless lives. Our occupation is immoral.

The reason there has not been more public outcry against the "war" in Iraq is because we don't have a draft. That's what mobilized folks back when Vietnam was going on. If a draft was instituted in the U.S., you better believe there would be enormous pressure to stop the war.

Answer 8

The reason is that Congressman Charles Rangle (D-NY) has proposed legislation reinstating the draft. There are two reasons for this. First, he has claimed that as presently constituted, the United States Military is occupied by those who joined because they had no other options. Of course, the falsity of this statement is obvious on its face. It is noteworthy however that more members of the military are both high school and college graduates per capita than comparable sectors of the general population. People don't join the military because they have no other options, they join because they want to for whatever reason. Those reasons might include education, job training, or even (gasp) a sense of patriotism. In any event, the second reason is that Rangle's ploy is purely political and designed to pander to the under-educated sheeple that have put and kept him in office. He likely in banking on the fact that people will not bother to look into the truth of things and that his fear mongering with work and up his political stake with those of his political persuation who are wandering around in the fever swamps.

Answer 9

Congressman Rangel brought a bill to the floor of the House last term to institute a draft which failed. Rangel has said he will bring the bill up again.

That is why people think there will be another draft. Bush has said there will not be one, the military has said they don't need one...but as long as Congressmen want to keep bringing it up as a scare tactic, it will stay on people's minds.

Answer 10

Well, we have to either withdraw from Iraq or send more troops over there to clean it up and stabilize all the warring tribes.

The troops that are over there now; some of them are on their 4th of 5th deployment and the other troops are tired. We need fresh people over there and we need more people over there or we should leave. I feel like our troops are sitting ducks right now and Bush does not give a Hallelujah

The draft is just part of the turf: If you live here you have to earn your keep and I think they should draft males and females alike.